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mastication

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mas⋅ti⋅cate

  [mas-ti-keyt]
Use mastication in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), verb (used without object), -cat⋅ed, -cat⋅ing.
1. to chew.
2. to reduce to a pulp by crushing or kneading, as rubber.
Origin:
1640–50; < LL masticātus, ptp. of masticāre to chew. See mastic, -ate 1

Related forms:
mas⋅ti⋅ca⋅ble  [mas-ti-kuh-buhl] , adjective
mas⋅ti⋅ca⋅tion, noun
mas⋅ti⋅ca⋅tor, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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mas·ti·cate   (mās'tĭ-kāt')   
v.   mas·ti·cat·ed, mas·ti·cat·ing, mas·ti·cates

v.   tr.

  1. To chew (food).

  2. To grind and knead (rubber, for example) into a pulp.

v.   intr.
To chew food.

[Late Latin masticāre, masticāt-, to masticate, from Greek mastikhān, to grind the teeth.]
mas'ti·ca'tion n., mas'ti·ca'tor n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

mastication 
1565, from L. masticationem (nom. masticatio), from masticare "to chew" (cf. O.Fr. maschier, Fr. mâcher), probably from Gk. mastikhan "to gnash the teeth," related to mastax "mouth, jaws," and masasthai "to chew," from PIE *menth- "to chew, mouth" (cf. L. mandere "to chew," Goth. munþs, O.E. muð "mouth").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: mas·ti·cate
Pronunciation: 'mas-t&-"kAt
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: -cat·ed; -cat·ing
transitivesenses
1 : to grind, crush, and chew (food) with or as if with the teeth in preparation for swallowing
2 : to soften or reduce to pulp by crushing orkneading masticate intransitive senses
: to make the motions involved in masticating food —mas·ti·ca·tion /"mas-t&-'kA-sh&n/ noun
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

masticate mas·ti·cate (mās'tĭ-kāt')
v. mas·ti·cat·ed, mas·ti·cat·ing, mas·ti·cates
To chew food.

mas'ti·ca'tion n.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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